The Letter
by DreamingPoet1988
Summary: Complete- Ephraim Black is dying... Who will help his shifter great-grandson when he's gone? That woulc be a Cullen, though not just any cullen,  Edward Cullen. Male Slash... M to be safe and for later chapters.
1. The Letter

**AN: I own nothing…. I have made some changes and am reposting all chapters.**

**Chapter 1: The Letter**

**Jacob POV-**

_My great-grandfather has gone crazy. _I think for about the nineteenth time as I write his oh so important letter.

_I mean here he is on his death bed and he's having me write to an old friend of his? How can he even be sure his friend will get the letter? Gramps claims that they haven't spoken in 63 years. I mean really my Gramps is really old how does he know this friend is still alive? 63 years is a very long time. _

"Jake you get that?" His voice is raspy, as he talks and I can't help the frown forming on my face. I had shifted a week before he had gotten sick; he had stayed around long enough to help us new generation of shifters, now he lay dying in a hospital bed in Forks, Washington. I don't know why he insisted to stay in a hospital off of the reservation, but he did and if there was one thing I was taught at a young age was to respect my elder's wishes.

"Yeah Gramps I got it, you sure your Edward friend will get this?" I ask for about the millionth time as I place the letter in an envelope, along with a small little carving of a wolf Gramps wanted me to put in there.

"I'm positive Jacob." He says, whispering something that sounds like _he has to get it_, and then falling asleep.

I quietly exit the room to find my father rolling down the hall towards me in his wheelchair.

"Jacob, how is he?" My father asked seeming so worried.

"Sleeping for now." I say before heading to the nurses' station to mail the letter and praying for my gramps peace of mind that this friend of his gets it.

**Ephraim Black-**

The letter only went on 24 hours ago. I remind myself as I try to calm my rapidly beating heart. Jacob had fallen asleep on the couch; I wanted to tell him who I was writing to, however I wasn't sure how to do it.

I could still picture his face, his bronze color hair that was always in disarray, his golden eyes that sparkled when he laughed, and his smile I could never forget his smile.

I still remember the day that I imprinted on my wife Katharine. It was the happiest and saddest day of my life. I had approached Edward before approaching her; I needed for him to understand. The Cullen's left the day after I told him.

Imprinting on Katharine meant that I would lose my best friend.

"I'm extremely happy for you brother, I'll keep my promise to you one day." Edward had said, giving me a hug. Knowing I was called to her. That I needed to be with her and she hated the Cullen's so much. Even after I explained they were friends of mine. In the end I had to choose her over them. Even though it broke my heart to do so.

It's been 63 years since I had any contact with him, but I knew I couldn't die without seeing him one last time. I still felt that overwhelming connection towards him, not a connection of imprints, but something, something I am not sure what to call.

**Edward Cullen-**

I was surprised when I opened the P.O. Box and found a letter waiting for me the scent of a shifter flowing off of it. Though I didn't recognize the shifters scent.

I made my way home quickly, anxious to read what the letter said. Slowly I opened the envelope and pulling out the letter being careful to not tear it, holding the small wood carving of a wolf in my hand, as it falls out I begin to read.

_Edward,_

_Edward, my brother I know that it's been 63 years since we had any contact. However I am writing to you because I am sick, I am dying. Edward I'm at Forks Hospital, please if this letter reaches you, please come._

_Ephraim Black_

If I could cry I would have.

Ephraim and I split ways many years ago, though I never forgot him. The only friend outside of the family I had ever made. When we had to split ways it was almost too painful and I made the decision to keep away from humans and never befriend them again.

"Edward why are you leaving?" Alice asks me, opening my door and peeking into my room without even knocking.

"I'm going to Forks, Washington." I say before jumping out my window and running towards the nearest airport. I didn't need luggage I had my wallet I could get stuff once I reached Ephraim.

He's dying, which means he doesn't have much time.

I've always kept my promises, now here Ephraim is asking me to uphold a promise I made to him all those years ago and there was no way I would let him down.

**Ephraim POV-**

I always have different versions of the same dream… Tonight is no different as it quickly over takes me.

_I see Jacob standing in wolf form in a meadow, teeth bared and fur standing on end as he watches a vampire slowly walk closer towards him. Soon another vampire joins the first, and another, totaling three to one. _

_Jacob knew he was in trouble, but he didn't back down trying to protect the dying human who was on the forest floor behind him._

_Everything happens so fast then._

_The vampire's attack just to be attacked by others of their kind._

_I recognize Edward then as he kneels before the shaking Jacob._

_"Jacob love, are you alright?" I hear Edward say…_

"Gramps!" Jacobs yell awakes me.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" I ask, groggy from my sleep.

"There's a vampire here, I just know it is, what do I do? There are humans around." Ever so slightly I extend my senses using strength I don't exactly have, until I too smell the sticky sweet smell of a vampire.

Though it's not just any vampire, Edward has made it.

"Jacob, clam down. Its Edward, he's come finally." I say smiling. I knew he would come. He had promised me.

**AN: SO what do you think about this little beginning? Anyone intrigued to know what's going to happen?**

**Time Line:**

**1920- Ephraim Black is born**

**1936- Ephraim Black (16 Years old) Alpha shifter meets Cullen's signs treaty. (Cullen's living in Hoquiam, South of Forks)**

**1940- Cullen's leave**

**1941- Ephraim is married**

**1942- Ephraim has son William**

**1960- Ephraim's grandson Billy Black is born**

**1987- Ephraim's great-grandson Jacob Black is born**

**2003- Jacob shifts (age 16)**

**2003- Ephraim age 83 dying**


	2. The Past

**AN: I own nothing…. I have made changes to ALL the chapters**

**This will eventually be a Jacob/Edward slash. No it's not an Ephraim/Edward slash… **

**Chapter 2: The Past**

**Ephraim POV- 63 Years Ago 1936**

_I have to keep fighting._ Is my only thought as the three bloodsuckers continued their attack. There were no other shifters on the reservation with me, I was alone in this fight, and when I loose they'll massacre the entire village.

I can't help but cry out as my body slams into a tree; I hear a sickening sound as my bones break. Everything hurts as I attempt to stand, only to get pushed back down by one of the leeches.

"James, just finish him off so we can have some fun." One of the others said, to the vampire who was now crouched over my broken body.

I attempted to rise again, only to get hit with an overwhelming smell of more vampires. I see four figures coming towards me before I black out from the pain. Praying to the spirits for a miracle.

**Edward POV-**

Alice, Jasper, Rose and I were hunting when I heard it, the thoughts of someone who was on the verge of death.

Jasper was the first to notice my distraction.

"Edward, what is it?" He asks, causing the girls to also look at me.

"Someone is hurt, dying. His thoughts are weird though." The wind shifts in that moment, bring us the smell of vampires and the man they were talking to, a shifter. That would explain his strange thoughts.

There are no words said between us, as we automatically head towards the fight. Having just moved into the area, we wanted to make sure that no bodies showed up. These other vampires were going to cause trouble for us.

When we reached them the shifter, was in human form, curled up on his side, fresh blood coming from his wounds.

The four of us quickly run into the shuffle, causing the three nomads to leave.

"We'll follow the nomads and make sure they leave." Jasper says taking Alice and Rose with him.

Slowly I walk towards the shifter, shrugging off of my coat to lie across his bare body. I needed to get him to Carlisle; I could tell he was slowly dying. Now that the threat was gone I could tell he was young, roughly sixteen years old.

I carried the passed out shifter all the way back to our house, where Esme and Carlisle were still unpacking.

"Edward?" My parents question as I enter the house with the unconscious boy.

"He's a shifter; we came across him and some nomads. Jazz and the girls are following the nomads out of town. Can you help him Carlisle?"

~~~~ Three Hours later ~~~

After a thorough examination Carlisle was sure that the young shifter would make a full recovery after some much needed rest.

**Ephraim POV-**

My dream are strange as I watch helplessly.

_I see a young shifter in a meadow; I am unsure who it is as I watch it facing three leaches. _

_The shifter knew he was in trouble, but he didn't back down trying to protect the dying human._

_Its then that the vampires attack, killing the young shifter, as he dies it feels as if someone has cut off an arm from me._

I wake up with a gasp, and open my eyes to find myself in a small room, on a bed, the smell of vampires fresh in the air.

However my body wasn't in pain anymore, it was like the leeches had somehow saved me. Though I'm unsure why they would do such a thing.

I figure I must be in a hospital, and I'm glad to find myself alone that is until I watched the handle to the door slowly open.

"I see you are awake, do you remember your name?" A man asked as he enters the room.

"Ephraim, Ephraim Black. I need to get home my parents, they'll be worried." I didn't know what to think about these vampires, the man had golden eyes, not red eyes like the others I had encountered.

"Ephraim, my name is Carlisle Cullen, my family and I just moved into the area." His voice was soft as he spoke to me. "We are what we call vegetarian, we don't hunt humans instead we hunt animals and live off their blood."

I wasn't sure what to think, I remember four other vampires joining the others, I don't remember what happened, I can't believe that I had blacked out. What a thing to do when surrounded by my enemies.

"How did I end up here?" I ask.

"My son Edward brought you here, you're in our house." The guy seemed nice enough. But he was still a vampire; I'm a shifter I'm not supposed to be friendly with any vampires. "I'll go and let Esme, my wife know you're awake. We'll bring some food up."

I wasn't left alone long as I heard a quick knock sound on the door before a younger male enters.

There was something different about this guy. I felt this connection to him, I've heard about imprinting, I was also sure that I hadn't imprinted on this guy. It almost felt as if he was family. I knew he wasn't, it just felt as if he was.

"How are you feeling?" He asks, his voice sounding like music. He looked around my age, and even though he's a vampire I wonder if we could ever be friends.

At the age of 15 I found myself becoming a shifter and since I am the only one to shift I am alpha and chief of the tribe. I didn't have it easy around the others my age; I had to have their respect. I couldn't act as a kid.

I'm 16 now; I shouldn't have the worry of having to protect the entire tribe, but I do and there's nothing I can do about that.

"I'm Edward; my dad said that you're good enough to go home if you want. However if you want to hang out here I was thinking about finding a partner to play chess against." He says smiling. His smile was friendly, and I could feel myself smile back at him.

"Sure." I say not knowing what I was actually getting myself into. "My mother taught me how to play."

**AN: SO what do you think?**


	3. The Friendship

**AN: I own nothing…. Please Enjoy.**

**Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed… **

**Chapter 3: The Friendship**

**Ephraim POV- **

Edward and I had taken turns talking. I had learned that there were six in his family. That fact alone made me a little apprehensive; I was the only shifter on the reservation Though Edward was quick to explain that they meant us no hard.

He explained that Carlisle and Esme were both kindhearted and I had witnessed their kindness first hand since being brought here, into their home.

Alice he claimed is a little strange with the ability to see the future, her mate Jasper was newest to their family and had the ability to feel and manipulate the emotions around him.

His other sister Rose, as he explained was a special case that didn't really like their life and was resentment of humans.

"And you?" I ask when he doesn't add anything about himself.

"UM, well…" He looks away from me in that moment. "I was changed by Carlisle first. I have the ability to read minds. Though sometimes it's more of a burden than anything, since I can't turn it off."

His mindreading ability made me slightly uneasy; I was use to my thoughts being private. However the way he said it being a burden made me also feel sorry for him. I couldn't imagine having thoughts in my head all the time.

We were into our third game when three other vampires arrived; Edward introduced them as Jasper, Alice, and Rose.

"We tracked them as far as we could," Jasper said talking about the nomad vampires. "They're long gone, probably won't be coming back."

"Eddie, you letting the kid win at all?" Alice asks, causing Edward to swat at her playfully and tell her to not call him Eddie. I laugh at how much the vampires act like siblings, wishing I had that.

The sound of a car pulling into the drive way turns our attention as Edward calls out to Carlisle.

Three loud knocks vibrate off the door as my father's voice yells, "Ephraim Black you get out here right now!"

Edward is up and opening the door in the blink of an eye. Opening it to my very angry father.

"Mr. Black why don't you come in?" He politely says to the angry man on the other side.

"Ephraim what are you doing in this leeches house? You're supposed to be on the reservation you have a duty to uphold." My shoulders slump at my father's words. I didn't know how he could tell that they were vampires, but he knew, it wasn't just a guess. Then he has to go remind me that I have to go back out there, where three vampires had been and had almost killed me.

I say quick goodbyes and a thank-you before I am being lead to the truck and taken back home.

_I'll see you later?_ I think looking at Edward, as the truck drives away I see him nod.

That night my dream takes another strange turn…

_The young shifter was surrounded, and with every kick from the three vampires he would cry out._

_He was dying, the vampires could tell that as they went around him, trying to get to the bleeding human, he had been attempting to protect._

_That's when out of nowhere a flash of bronze hair catches my eye, as he sends the three nomads back. Its then that I can tell who the fourth vampire is, the one protecting the human and shifter. _

_Edward Cullen, who was soon joined by his family._

I woke with a gasp. Unsure what my dream meant. Was it trying to tell me something? I wonder as I fall back to sleep.

The next morning I wake up to my father demanding that I call a meeting of the counsel and make some kind of agreement with the Cullen clan.

"I say they should all be killed. Why should we let leeches reside in the area?" My father practically yells to the counsel as we wait for the Cullen's to arrive.

"And father what are you proposing we do? I told you how they saved my life. I don't just owe them a life debt but I am also outnumbered and here you are talking about needing to destroy them." Its then that I realize that my father hadn't seemed to care about the danger I would be in if I actually did listen to them and tried to run the vampires out of town.

The elders bickered more and more and by the time I could smell the Cullen's approaching the elders were all out yelling, and I knew my newest friends could hear the elders and when their presence was noticed by the elders.

An hour later I'm signing a treaty with the Cullen's stating that if they were to kill any humans then the treaty will be broken and a war would break out. I hated the thought of what could happen if one of them was to accidently kill.

_Can I come over again today? _I ask Edward through my thoughts as his family departs. A slight nod of his head gives me my answer and I smile, knowing I would have to wait a little while until I could take off.

**AN: SO what do you think? **


	4. The First Goodbye

**AN: I own nothing…. Please Enjoy.**

**I am also going to start betaing for Yaoi-Yuri-lover100's story 'It started with a kiss' You can find a link to this on my profile ;) Please check out this amazing Jacob/Edward fic.**

**Chapter 4: The First Goodbye**

**Ephraim POV- **

The years would past quickly, its late one night when Edward would explain that soon him and his family would have to move on.

I cry when I hear the news, unsure if I'll ever see them again. They had become my best friend and I had grown to love all of the Cullen's as if they were my own family.

_Edward I would like to ask a favor of you._ I say one night as we sit in his room playing cards.

"Sure, anything." The vampire says.

I close my eyes as I share my dream with him….

_The young shifter was surrounded, and with every kick from the three vampires he would cry out._

_He was dying, the vampires could tell that as they went around him, trying to get to the bleeding human, he had been attempting to protect._

_That's when out of nowhere a flash of bronze hair catches my eye, as he sends the three nomads back. Its then that I can tell who the fourth vampire is, the one protecting the human and shifter. _

_Edward Cullen was soon joined by his family._

"I don't know who the shifter is, but I'm sure I'll know one day. If I send for you, if I ask you to come, will you?" I ask, worried about him rejecting my request.

"I promise Ephraim, you will always be able to contact me if you need to. And when you ask for me to come back I will." He promises his gold eyes staring into my brown ones.

It was only two weeks later that I met Katherine and imprinted on her. What was supposed to be the happiest days were also some of my saddest, as I was forced to push my very good friends away.

**~~~~~~~~Back to the Present~~~~~~~~**

**2003-**

I attempt to stand from my bed as the door opens.

"Shouldn't you be staying in bed old man?" Edward says, catching me when my own strength fails me, and preventing me from falling.

"Hello Edward." I say, staring into his golden eyes and remembering all those years ago. He hadn't changed, vampires don't, but it was still strange to see. He looked like the 17 year old man I met all those years ago.

"Hello to you Ephraim, who is your sidekick?" He jokes motioning to Jacob who had backed up into a corner.

"I would like for you Edward, to meet my grandson Jacob Black. Jacob this is Edward Cullen, he is an old friend of mine." I say before showing Edward through my thoughts that Jacob is the shifter from the dream/vision I've been having.

"Well it's nice to meet you Jacob Black." Edward says politely. The room goes deathly silent as Jacob says nothing, still seeming to be in shock of the vampire standing before him, a look of disgust on his face as he stared at the outstretched hand. I could practically hear Jacob thinking about me being crazy. I had tried to extinguish all bad stories of the Cullen's but was unsuccessful since I needed to keep my tribe aware of the dangers of vampires.

But underneath his disgust I could see that look of awe, of amazement, of wonder, and of devotion. I knew what that meant for Jacob, and I prayed to the spirits that my hard headed grandson would accept it.

**Edward POV-**

It wasn't surprising to be here with an elderly Ephraim Black, I knew he would have eventually let himself age. What was startling was his grandson, I knew he was the shifter in Ephraim's dreams the moment I saw him. But that wasn't all about Jacob that I found amusing.

I couldn't read Jacobs thoughts. It's always said our mates are immune to the extra powers. For example Jaspers power of feeling manipulation doesn't work on Alice, unless she wants it to. Alice's visions on Jasper only work when he wants it to.

So I knew I would be able to read Jacob's mind, if he ever let me in.

The thought at having found my mate scared me, how could a shifter be a perfect match for a vampire. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. But here we are two natural enemies, destined to be bound together.

The shifter looked so frightened and I could feel my cold dead heart ache as I resisted approaching him. Not wanting to frighten the younger boy any more.

"Hmmm…. Jacob why don't you go rest. Edward and I have a lot of catching up to do." Ephraim says.

I could tell Jacob didn't want to leave, whether it be because he felt the need to protect Ephraim or that he wanted to know more about me, I am unsure. I watched him with curious eyes as he left the room.

"Well am I right on what I just saw?" The elderly Ephraim asks, once the door the shut behind Jacob.

"I believe so. I can't read his mind, which is a trait mates have. So I can't tell you if he imprinted on me or anything." With a shake of my head I turn all my attention to Ephraim black, checking his charts. "Why Forks Hospital?" I ask, curious on why a dying man would choose to be in a hospital than at home.

"I knew you wouldn't come onto the reservation, especially with there being a good handful of shifters around now." A coughing fit interrupts our conversation, and when the old man coughs blood I am greatly troubled.

Age was something I never had to worry about, sitting here and watching old age kill a man who I had once know and been friends with would be difficult. But he had called me here and in keeping my promise I knew I would get to spend plenty of time with a certain shifter, who seemed to be taking up all my thoughts.

"I think, you'll be good for Jake. He's a lot like me. Very hard headed, but her can also be so sweet. You'll care for him once I'm gone, right?" Ephraim asks, seeming to know I was lost in thoughts about Jacob Black.

"Yes, Ephraim you have nothing to worry about."

Five minutes later thoughts hit me and I am suddenly aware of shifters heading our way.

**AN: SO what do you think?**


	5. The Mate

**AN: I own nothing…. Please Enjoy. Sorry about the long wait. **

**I am looking for someone who is willing to beta and maybe even help with ideas for this story for me. If you are interested message me ;) **

**THIS IS A SHORT CHAPTER….. You have been warned. **

**Chapter 5: The Mate**

**Edward POV-**

The door is practically thrown open as three angry shifters stalked in. Jacob it seems had went out and found some pack mates.

"Jacob," Ephraim called as they entered. "Did you really have to go and get Sam and Jared? I would have…."

The old man's words were cut off as he starts coughing, bright red blood landing on his handkerchief.

"Drink." I say, attempting to stay calm as I offer him a glass of water, the smell of blood fresh in the air.

_Stupid leech, better stay away from Ephraim. _The man Sam was thinking as he watched me. Jared's thoughts mirrored Sam's and Jacob's stayed ever silent to me.

"Edward, this is Sam and Jared. Sam is taking over as alpha of the pack. Sam, Jared this is my oldest friend and Brother Edward." Ephraim says, making polite introductions.

"It's nice to meet you both and hello again to you Jacob." I say to the three shifters. Then an awkward silence falls over us, I can hear Ephraim's worries about all of us not getting along. And though I would like to calm his fears I know getting along with these shifters wouldn't be easy.

It doesn't take long for the events of the day to exhaust Ephraim and sleep quickly takes him that is after he makes me promise to stay.

"So, you're a Cullen." Sam says, stalking over to a couple of chairs and sitting. His eyes hard on me as if he's trying to read me.

"Yes, I am a Cullen. I have not come back to cause any problems, it is Ephraim that asked me to come. Tell me Sam, would you deny a dying man his request?" I knew the shifters were not happy to see me. But I also knew they held their elders with great respect. They would not deny their dying alpha this request. Though they also do not like it.

**Jacob POV-**

I still couldn't believe I imprinted on a stupid leech. Gosh and what kind of name is Edward anyways? I mean this guy was friends with Ephraim when Ephraim was younger, HOW old is my imprint? Crap, I shouldn't be thinking about this, he can read minds, probably reading mine right now and plotting on how to control me or kill me, not like I could fight him. We can't harm them at all actually.

"Ephraim I must attend to some things. I will be back early tomorrow when visiting hours resume. Sleep well brother." Edward says, seeming uncomfortable. And who talks like that? 'attend to'? Really? "Good to meet you Sam and Jared. I assume I'll be seeing you Jacob, all of you take care." And without a backward glance he walks out.

"We'll leave too." Same says, pulling Jared out.

"I imprinted on him!" I growl as soon as we are alone. And Ephraim's eyes meet mine.

"He's not as bad as you think he is Jacob."

**AN: SO what do you think? And please if you want to beta let me know. **


	6. The Imprinter

**AN: I own nothing… Thank you to hardcoretwilighter1979 for helping me with this chapter. **

**Current Date in story is September 13 2011 **

**FYI: Ephraim has been in the hospital for about three months. So Jacob shifted about three months and one week ago. **

**CH 6: The Imprinter**

**Jacob POV-**

_How could he say that a vampire is not as bad as I think?_ I ask Gramps what he means by that, because why would a vampire even tolerate a shifter? _Does he think the vampire would not remember that we are mortal enemies? _I ask if he remembers what happens when a wolf loses his imprint, if he could think of what would happen when my imprint rejects me. Then I start to think about poor Seth and what happen when he lost his imprint two months ago.

**Flash back **

We were sitting in Sam's kitchen eating breakfast, when all of the sudden we heard this howl, a cry of a wolf. At first we didn't know what was going on since there was only one on patrol, and that was Seth. So we all got up, running outside to phase to see what was going on, but when we all phased we were hit with this gut wrenching cry from Seth. We were trying to figure out what was going by reading his mind but we were only getting bits and pieces of pain then his thoughts would jump to Mary his imprint, we kept running till we caught up with him and followed him till we hit the main road that went from La Push to Forks. Mary's car had been t-boned on the driver's side and had gone up in flames. Mary was killed instantly; the car that caused the accident was nowhere to be seen. We had to hold Seth back from the flames. As shifters we were hard to kill, but that burning fire would have done so. Mary was already dead; there would have been nothing we could have done for her, by the time we were able to get water to put out the fire there was nothing left but ashes and the smell of blood.

The weeks to follow after Mary had died were the hardest on Seth and the pack. With us having to share the minds with our brothers and know each other's thoughts, we could see how much pain that was causing Seth and his wolf. All we could do was to be there for him as we are forced to watch him slowly slip away.

**Present time**

Seth the brother who was always so full of life, a happy go lucky guy, and now all he is, is a shell of the man he had been. At nineteen years old he was set to be married to Mary in about six months. But now she is dead and he is slowly following her to the other world.

"Gramps how can you be sure of this? He is our enemy." I ask, still wondering what he was thinking.

Gramps then proceeds to tell me how when he was the only wolf on the reservation that he was on patrol and was attacked by a passing nomads, and they were going to kill him. How right before he pasted out he remembered more vampires showing up then he pasted out. Then he explains that the next thing he remembers is that he was waking up in this bright room thinking that he was in a hospital, but then he smelled vampires. Gramps tells me that they explain to him that he was attacked by three nomads. Gramps then tells me about his friendship with the Cullen family, Edward especially. Gramps told me how Edward had become like a brother to him. Gramps kept telling me how Edward was a good man and would not harm me.

This all so weird to me, because I was brought up to hate vampires and here my gramps and my alpha are tell me they are not that bad, or at least the Cullen's are not that bad. I am so screwed

"I must go Gramps; I don't want to be late for the meeting Sam called." I say, leaving the hospital room and heading out. Sam had taken role of alpha, since he was the beta before Gramps got sick. Sam wanted me to explain to the pack what had happened and then as a pack we would come up with ways to deal with it.

**Five Minutes later**

It only takes me five minute to run to Sam and Emily's house in wolf form. The two of them had married in January; Leah was still not over the break up between her and Sam, especially since it had involved his imprint on Emily, her cousin and best friend. Sam at the time of the imprint couldn't explain in to Leah who hadn't shifted at the time.

"Finally decided to arrive I see." Sam says with a smile as I enter the house, after pulling on some shorts. "Let us get this meeting started. Jacob you may have the floor."

We were all crowed into Sam's living room, even Seth, who had been living with Emily and Sam since his imprint had been killed. I looked at my brother, wondering how long I would survive after hearing Edward's rejection. Or maybe he would be humane enough to kill me, save me from all the months of pain I would have to go through.

"Well, all of you know by now that Gramps invited an old friend of his here. A vampire, a Cullen." I wasn't too sure where to start as I rack my brain, wondering if I could tell them the truth. "Um, I met the vampire, um Edward. And well when I saw him I um… I imprinted on him." I don't dare look at my brothers as I wait for a response.

"What?"

"How did that…."

"Are you sure?"

"What does this mean?"

All of my brother's words and statements were scrambled together. It's only when a frail hand touches mine that I look up. My eyes meeting the lost dead ones of Seth.

"Treasure him Jacob." He says the first and only words he has truly said to anyone in over two weeks.

Everyone stops talking as they stare at Seth, who after speaking his words walks off back to his room.

"We are a pack." Sam says bringing the attention back to himself. "We will support our brother through this, but I swear Jacob if that vampire hurts you he will pay."

The meeting effectively ends then and we all head home.

My bed is soft under my worn out body and the moment my head hits the pillow my thoughts are full of Edward Cullen.

**AN: Thanks for reading….**

**Shifter Time Line: **In case you wanted to know….

**December 10****th**** 2010- **Sam (22) shifted, imprinted on Emily December 12th.

**January 4****th**** 2011**- Jared (19) Shifted, imprinted on Kim January 10th.

**January 12****th**** 2011- **Paul (20) Shifted, no imprint.

**January 29****th**** 2011- **Quil (17) Shifted, imprinted on Clair (15) when she came down for Emily's small wedding.

**January 30****th**** 2011- **Sam and Emily marry.

**February 1****st**** 2011- **Leah (21) and brother Seth (19) Shifts.

**February 25****th**** 2011- **Seth imprints on Mary a new girl in town.

**May 25****th**** 2011- **Embry (17) Shifts, no imprint.

**June 6****th**** 2011- **Jacob Black (17) Shifts.

**June 13****th**** 2011- **Ephraim black grows sick.

**August 31****st**** 2011- **Ephraim goes to Forks Hospital.

**September 12****th**** 2011- **Jacob Black imprinted on Edward Cullen.


	7. The Last Goodbye

**AN: I own nothing… Thank you to hardcoretwilighter1979 for helping me with this chapter. **

**CH 7: The Last Goodbye **

**Edward POV-**

"Ephraim I don't fully understand how this imprinting thing works." I say as I sit next to Ephraim once visiting hours start.

"Not much is known about it Edward. We've always assumed it is how we find our perfect match and the one that will allow for us to best pass on our shifter genes. I'm now assuming that we were wrong in that thinking." Ephraim says a distant look on his face. "We can't live without our imprints Edward."

His words anger me. I would have Jacobs body and soul, ONLY because of some shifter thing that made him imprint on me.

"Is there any way to break it?" I ask, the moment my words reach Ephraim I regret it as his mouth hangs open and tears pool in his eyes.

"No, only death of the shifter will break it. Please Edward, Jacob is a good kid. You don't have to be mates, but maybe friends? I've never heard of a male imprinting on another male." I calm Ephraims worries, and watches as he falls into a fitful sleep.

His nightmares wide open for me to see…

_There is a lone wolf in a meadow. _I'm unsure how I know, but I am positive it is my Jacob. My Jacob? Where did that come from? I wonder as I tune back into the dream. _His teeth were bared at three vampires as they stalk closer to him. _

_He was backed up against two rocks. _That's when I noticed a human male bleeding heavily behind him. _Get out of the way of out prey. The female vampire says, stepping closer towards the shifter. _

_It all happened so fast, one moment the three nomads are about to kill Jacob. The next my family arrives and fights off the others._

_Jacob is left shaking, as in Ephraim's dream I kneel down and gently touch Jacob's fir. _

"_Jacob love, are you alright?" _My dream self says, before Ephraim's dream goes dark.

Ephraim is still sleeping when Jacob and two other pack members of his walk in.

Jacob's eyes meet mine for only a minute before shyly breaking eye contact and looking away. A lovely blush covered his cheeks, and I wished again that I could read my shifters thoughts. _MY shifter? What is coming over me? Jacob Black is not mine._

"I'll leave now." I say, rushing out of the room and away from the shifters.

**Jacob POV-**

I can't believe I blushed when he looked at me. What is happening to me, I Jacob Black does not blush. And yet I did, just like a girl.

I watch as my Imprint, my soul mate, my vampire as he walks out of the small hospital room. My wolf begged for me to go after him. To follow him. To tell him that I needed him.

But I stayed.

I would not let this imprint control me, I would not be owned by a vampire.

It doesn't take long for my bad to show up and wheel in.

"Jacob, I'm so proud of the man you are." Gramps says. His voice soft as he holds my hand.

"Billy, you take care now. I'll be looking over you."

Dad and I have been sitting my Gramps side for two hours, his health was failing. We knew we would lose him tonight.

"Edward?" Gramps practically whispers when the door opens.

"I'm here." The vampire says as he stands next to me and places his hand on Gramps shoulder.

"You'll remember your promise, right?" I get the feeling Grams is saying more inside his head as Edward nods. "Thank you brother for coming back."

"Billy, Jacob I love you both so much. I'll be looking out for you." A tear rolls down my face as his hand slowly goes limp. Gramps was gone, having stayed around long enough to teach me all he knew.

"Rest well my brother." Edward says before stepping away from Gramps body. Giving us room and a moment to be alone.

It could have been minutes or hours, before I couldn't take it anymore and letting go of Gramps hand I fall to the floor in a heap, not caring who sees me cry.

It only takes a second for two cold arms to wrap around me, causing me to freeze.

"It's ok Jacob, let it all out. Its ok to cry." My vampire says as he holds me.

I cry for what seems like hours until the darkness surrounds me and I sleep, a dreamless sleep, full of nothing but the darkness.

**AN: Thanks for reading….**


	8. The Funeral of One Black…

**AN: I own nothing… Yes another chapter this is a two part chapter…. ;)**

**CH 8: The Funeral of One Black… **

**Edward POV-**

Three days… It had taken three days to make all the arrangements. Ephraim was to be buried on Quileute land, there was no doubt in my mind that I would cross the border in order to attend Ephraim's farewell, however I should attempt to show respect to the pack and others on the reservation.

That's how I ended up called Sam Uley, the new pack alpha.

"This is Emily." A bright cheery voice answered after three rings.  
>"Hello Emily my name is Edward Cullen I am calling to speak with Sam." I politely say, hoping the wolf was home.<p>

"Um, Edward right now isn't the best time we're getting ready for a funeral…." Her sentence kind of fades out and there is silence on her end.

"I'm aware of that Emily and I'm sorry to bug you in this time of grieving. Ephraim was a friend of mine years ago. I intend to go to his funeral and figured it may be polite to ask the alpha's permission to cross onto your lands.

"Hmm… Hold on please." She says before yelling out for Sam to come to the phone.

"Hello?" Sam says after a few minutes.

"Hello Sam, this is Edward Cullen I wanted to call and warn you that I will be attending Ephraim's funeral today. I'm not coming to cause you any trouble; I'll stay back away from the crowd. However Ephraim was like a brother to me, I owe it to him to be there." Our argument went back and forth for ten minutes but eventually the alpha gave in and told me for today and today only I was allowed on their land.

**Jacob POV-**

I felt numb as I put on my slacks and a dress shirt and step outside to where Sue and Harry were waiting to give us a ride to the grave site.

I don't hear a word from the preacher as I stare at Grams lifeless body. Slowly people started to trickle up and give dad and I their condolences and it took all my strength not to run away from every one.

Finally the crowds trickled away and a new presence made it be known as my imprint slowly approached us.

"Ephraim was a good man and I feel honored that I knew him. Mr. Black, Jacob, I am deeply sorry for your loss." I looked up into my imprints eyes, and though he couldn't cry I saw deep sadness in them, as if he was feeling the same pain and loss as I was.

Dad says noting and after a minute Edward turns to walk off.

"Edward," I call out, loving the feel of his name on my lips. He stops and turns to face me the moment his name left my lips. "Thank you for being here." I say, though it come out in a whisper.

"I would do anything for you Jacob." He whispers into my ear before he is gone, the air around me lingered with his scent and I couldn't help the deep breath I took before walking off and heading off to where Emily had food and drinks ready to 'Celebrate Ephraim's Life'….

I can only stay in Sam's small and overly crowded house for an hour before I rush out, not caring where I was going as I shift and just run.

**Edward POV-**

As promised the moment the funeral was over I went back home and off of the shifters land.

"What are you doing here?" I ask my family as I enter our home.

"Did you think we would let you deal with this alone?" Esme says before hugging me. Soon we are all in one great big group hug and I finally allow my pain to show and sobs to rack my body, though I know no tears will come for the loss of Ephraim Black.

We're all silent for hours as we all mourn the loss of our friend.

It's late when a sudden sharp pain hits me right where my dead hear lays.

"Edward what is it?" Jasper asks, sounding alarmed.

"Jacob." Is all I can say as I rush out of the house knowing that Ephraim's dreams were about to come true, and I had to save Jacob, the hot headed shifter who imprinted on me, and whom I love.

**AN: Thanks for reading…. ALSO please check out sue273's story The Time Traveller's Husband (Located in my favorites) this is a Jasper/Edward and great!**


	9. and The Survival of Another

**AN: I own nothing… Thanks to the reviewers! SO SORRY for the long wait… These boys had stopped talking to me and with this being the final chapter I wanted to do it right. **

**CH 9: …and The Survival of Another**

**Jacob POV-**

I ran as long as I could until breaking down and crying in the middle of the forest.

A scream pulls me out of my misery.

I tried to fight my natural instinct to run to the voices and help. But a natural instinct to guard and protect humans is a hard one to ignore and I soon find myself between three vampires and their prey, a man only a few years older than me, I could smell his blood, pouring out of him from small cuts.

"Oh look a little shifter…" The female sneers at me as her and the two males stalk towards me. "Don't you know not to get in-between vampires and their prey?"

I growl, as I back up, trying to make sure they are unable to get to the human male who was bleeding behind me.

"NO!" a loud yell rang out causing me to jump as the human started screaming about pain. He needed help I could see that, but I wasn't in the condition to do anything. I had just lost Gramps; I didn't want to have to fight anything I wanted to just mourn him.

I snapped at the female redhead when she attempted to get past me, earning me a knock in the head from one of the males. They were toying with me, I could tell they were. But I wouldn't give up without this fight. Three to one, it was easy to guess who would win. But I can at least attempt to take one of them with me. Gramps had at one time told me that as a shifter it is my job to protect humans, and even though I wasn't up to the whole shifter thing I couldn't just let a human be hurt.

Suddenly my head is slammed into a rock and one of the males has me pinned down underneath him.

I tried and failed at pushing him off and as my world started to grow dark I knew I was going to die and Edward didn't even know how I felt about him.

**Edward POV-**

I run into the woods, following a faint trail of Jacob's scent. My family is far behind me, not able to keep up with my speed. I am practically flying through the trees; soon I am able to pick up thoughts.

I focus all my attention on Jacobs as I run, knowing that he needed me. I could feel pain from my long dead heart as Jacob slowly started to succumb to darkness.

"I'm coming Jacob." I wanted to scream, but I didn't. I needed all the surprise I could on these nomads, as I pushed myself even faster.

Finally I see it, a lone wolf in a meadow. I see red when I notice that a vampire has his hand around my wolf's throat. My Jacob was down, but still struggling.

Suddenly the wolf throws the vampire off of him and bares his teeth.

"Get out of the way of our prey." A female vampire says, stepping closer towards Jacob.

I don't wait for anything else as I run and throw one of the males into a tree who is soon followed by his two companions.

At seeing me arrive Jacob in wolf form collapsed from exhaustion. I pay no attention to the angry nomads behind me as I go and kneel before the shaking shifter.

"Jacob love, are you alright?" I ask, before I know what I am saying. I don't have to worry about the nomads as my family arrives, followed quickly by some of the shifters.

He says nothing as slowly his shaking stops and he shifts back to human form. I waste no time in covering him with the jacket I am wearing.

"Edward…" He whispers, exhaustion written clearly on his face. "You came?"

My wolf as tired as he was, smiled at me, smiled because I had showed up.

"My Jacob, I could never let anything happen to you."

**Jacob POV-**

The human I had risked my life for survived. He was changed, by the nomads and when Rose Edward's sister met him they fell instantly in love.

My injuries healed slowly, and Edward was there for me every day, hardly ever leaving my side.

That was three months ago. Since then Edward and I have been on 45 dates, 52 runs, and multiple sleepovers.

Currently we were lying on a hill, just enjoying being together.

Edward Cullen would be my forever.

At least I hoped.

"And you will be my forever." He whispers, his cool breath washing over one of my bare nipples, causing me to shiver from want.

There were upsides and downsides to having a lover who could read minds.

Today, I would call it an upside…

**AN: The End…. **

**Some of you may think this ended suddenly. BUT this was meant to be a short story. Sorry if I've disappointed anyone with it. I am happy with how it ended. **


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